Gr 7-10 In this sci-fi, dystopian adventure, a mutated avian flu caused the complete extinction of the female populace. Or so many believe, including Callum, 11, a Colony-created "chosen" boy who's abducted from his fathers' Refuge by Outstationers and sold to nomad performers. After escaping, he's rescued by loner Bo but their safety is fleeting. On the run with Bo and her best roboraptor, Callum makes a surprising discovery: Bo's a girl, and he's never seen one before. Naive and misinformed, they head toward Vulture's Gate in search of Callum's fathers, safety, and the truth. They constantly trade one dangerous situation for another. They come across different people and factions with agendas, like the humanity-loathing Sons of Gaia and the Colony's Squadrones and its shemales of Mater Misericordiae (who hold captive surviving girls for cruel breeding practices). Slightly vague, the novel needs more backstory. Were the avian flu and the resulting lack of women the sole factors prompting such dire straits? That said, this fast-paced read has an interesting premise/cast of characters and well-drawn protagonists with a palpable bond both realistically awkward and tender. Despite their ages, the story is best suited to teens. Give it to reluctant readers and fans of survival fiction and sci-fi like Patrick Ness's "Chaos Walking" series (Candlewick)."Danielle Serra, Cliffside Park Public Library, NJ" Copyright 2010 Media Source Inc.
Girls are supposed to be extinct--wiped out by the bird flu long ago. Nevertheless, female Bo rescues Callum in the Australian desert. They journey to the city of Vulture's Gate where they must fight for their survival and freedom. This action-packed science-fiction adventure offers a what-if scenario that is disturbingly bleak if not altogether plausible.
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